GAME DAY | What to Watch: #22 Illinois Hosts Rededication Game Against #24 Michigan

The day has finally come.

After years of preparation and planning, the Memorial Stadium Rededication Game between No. 22 Illinois and No. 24 Michigan is right around the corner. Exactly 100 years and one day after Red Grange's six-touchdown performance against the previously undefeated Wolverines in 1924, those same two programs – both of which are ranked in the latest AP Top 25 poll – are set to square off on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.

The Orange and Blue return to Memorial Stadium one week after their 50-49 overtime victory over Purdue, a win that saw the Illini claim The Cannon for the first time since 2019. Luke Altmyer recorded a career-best passing yardage total and amassed four total scores, while Josh McCray posted the first three-touchdown outing of his collegiate career.

Michigan makes its first visit to Memorial Stadium since the 2019 season, with the Illini looking to defeat the Wolverines for the first time since 2009. Illinois and Michigan last met in 2022, when the hosting Wolverines recorded a controversial 19-17 victory in Ann Arbor.

Ahead of Saturday afternoon's nationally televised kickoff, Michigan sits at 4-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play, and the Wolverines have lost their lone road contest. Michigan opened its 2024 slate with five consecutive home games then fell at Washington on Oct. 5 before serving its first of two idle dates during Week 7. The reigning national champions are led by first-year head coach Sherrone Moore, who spent the previous six seasons on the team's offensive staff.

The Illini know what's at stake on Saturday in what will be a historic day at Memorial Stadium, with 100th anniversary festivities taking place all weekend throughout the community.

Defensive coordinator Aaron Henry has embraced and preached the importance of recognizing the magnitude of the celebrations and history that will be made on Saturday.

"There's history here. Any time you're talking about history, you have to talk about where this place has come from as opposed to where it is now. You can't forget about the men, the players, and the people who came before you," Henry said. "A big thing going into this week is obviously to play really good defense, but more importantly, this is a magical opportunity that we're about to have in this stadium. You're talking about a top-25 ranked matchup on CBS, so it'll be a primetime matchup between two really good opponents. 

"Michigan has been at the forefront of a lot of things in terms of football nationally, and they're coming into Champaign and we get a chance to play them in front of a sellout crowd and in front of the world. I spoke to our guys about this opportunity. You don't get these opportunities often, especially as a young player in your career, so you have to take advantage of them." 

Here are a few things to watch when the Illini and Wolverines play on Saturday afternoon.

Plans for the Memorial Stadium Rededication Game

Illinois will don 1920s-themed throwback uniforms and helmets that pay tribute to the attire worn by Red Grange and the Fighting Illini during the early years of the football program's existence. The Illini will trade in their traditional orange helmets for individually hand-painted headgear, which are designed to match the look of old-school leather lids.

The rest of the uniform also honors Grange's time at Illinois. The jerseys feature a blue base with tannish-gold stripes that form a pyramid shape and run from the bottom of the shirt to the top of the numbers. White numbers with blue outlines complete the jersey. The tannish-gold hue seen in the stripes will be reflected in the color of the custom pants, and will be paired with blue socks to complete the classic look.

Prior to kickoff, a special game ball presentation featuring some of Illinois' most legendary players will take place from the south end zone out to the 50-yard line, with the initial handoff set to be by athletic director and former Illini football player Josh Whitman. A halftime performance by the Marching Illini will involve family members of Illinois' athletic architects from the early years – athletic director George Huff, head football coach Robert Zuppke, and Red Grange.

All former football players in attendance will line the field at halftime and be honored by the Fighting Illini fans. 

Fans are encouraged to get to their seats by 2 p.m. CT to catch the pregame game ball presentation, a flyover, and air raid siren sounder Howard Griffith.

"Before the season even started, I talked about this game and knew that this was going to bring a lot of attention. At the time, we didn't know we would have two ranked teams coming here," said head coach Bret Bielema. "A lot went into it, and I think our players know that, feel that, and understand that."

Illinois' Notable Offensive Trends

The Illini's home contest against the Wolverines will be the first game between two ranked teams at Memorial Stadium since 2000. Illinois is looking to secure a ranked home win as a ranked team for the first time since 1991.

The Illinois offense will look to continue its recent success if the Illini want to end that lengthy streak. Altmyer's career-best passing day against the Boilermakers last week helped him earn spots on the Davey O'Brien Award, Manning Award Top QB, Maxwell Award watch lists.

The Orange and Blue's passing game has excelled during the first half of the 2024 slate, with Altmyer recording at least 200 yards in four of six contests. The Illini's rushing attack has provided a nice balance for Barry Lunney Jr.'s offense, as they have eclipsed the 100-yard mark on the ground four times.

Lunney praised his unit's ability to thrive in the big moments, especially against Purdue last Saturday. The Illini scored 50 points against the Boilermakers, their highest offensive output in a game since 2018.

"Guys just made plays. That's the biggest thing," Lunney said when reflecting on the offense's success against Purdue. "There were just a lot of plays to be made, and those guys really rose to the occasion and played really well in critical moments of the game."

Opponent Scout

Three different quarterbacks have taken snaps under center for the Wolverines, with Alex Orji, Jack Tuttle, and Davis Warren all earning playing time this season. Orji is the lone member of the trio who has participated in all six games, though Tuttle saw action in Michigan's most recent contest on Oct. 5 at Washington.

The Wolverines' running back room features two of the most dynamic rushers in the Big Ten. Kalel Mullings leads the team and ranks fourth in the Big Ten with 98.2 rushing yards per game, while he has tallied six rushing scores this season. Donovan Edwards has registered 58.8 yards per game alongside three touchdowns on the ground.

Michigan's passing attack is led by tight end Colston Loveland, who has amassed team-best totals in receptions (29), receiving yards (261) and receiving touchdowns (2). WR Semaj Morgan is the only other Wolverine pass-catcher with double-digit catches (13) this season.

"They have talented players at every position," Henry said. "They've played three different quarterbacks this year, so no matter which quarterback they play, all of them can run. All of them have the ability to throw the ball to a receiver or a tight end. What they are really, really good at is they run the ball at a very high clip. Going into a game of this magnitude, our goal is to make sure we contain and limit that deep threat and try to create as many negative plays and takeaways as possible."

Defensively, 2023 All-America defensive back Will Johnson has hauled in a team-high two interceptions, while linebacker Ernest Hausmann has made a team-most 40 tackles. EDGE Josaiah Stewart leads the Wolverines in tackles for loss (8.5), sacks (2.0), and quarterback hurries (5).

"Watching the film, you see a very disruptive, fast, physical front," Lunney said. "They have some really high-level players across the board. They have a good scheme and are well-coached. It's a very good defense that we're going to be playing against, and obviously, they're a good football team. I think the experience from a couple of weeks ago at Penn State gave us a similar feel and a similar type of attacking defense. They're different structurally, but they're similar in how they present themselves, the twitch, the power. 

"I'm hoping that what we went through a couple of weeks ago will help us prepare for what we're going to see because this is an extremely aggressive, talented, physical defense."

Illinois and Michigan will square off at sold-out Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT. CBS has the televsion coverage.